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Some teachers are in the habit of preaching dead dogma that has long since stopped being meaningful. Spiritual teaching, like everything else, needs renewal.

A wise teacher who lived in China was visited by a friend who brought with him a nice duck. They made a handsome meal of it. The next day, another man, who claimed to be the friend of the friend who brought the duck, dropped by for a meal. The teacher shared the scraps with him, for that was all he had.

The next evening yet another man dropped in claiming to be the friend of the friend of the friend who brought the duck. The teacher asked him to sit down and served him a bowl of hot water.

What is this? asked the visitor in consternation.

That, said the teacher, is soup made from the soup made from the soup of the duck I was given three days ago.